July 14, 2004
Friendship offers faith, fellowship
Friendship Program opens up Christian faith to developmentally disabled adults
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
The Friendship Program is dedicated to opening the Christian faith to developmentally disabled people.
Led by director Mike Dornoff for the past 11 years, the program reaches between 25-40 area adults each Tuesday evening during the school year. They gather at the Fellowship Church on Garfield for an evening of song, fellowship and a discussion of basic tenets of Christianity.
During the summer, the group gathers about every month for more informal events such as picnics or hayrides. The Friendship Program also features a choir that visits four to six churches a year.
"I like to sing and I get a snack, too," said Diane, a member of the group.
Singing is also a favorite activity of Rob, who added that helping others is fun.
Without the Friendship Program, many of the attendees would not have any resource for learning about Christianity or expressing their faith.
"A few go to church on Sundays, but a lot of them come from group homes so they may not have friends or family to take them," noted Dornoff, who is the father of 20 adopted developmentally disabled children and adults. "For a lot of them, this is their church."
The range of disabilities is broad within the group but Dornoff believes each understands the teachings at his or her own level. Repeating one main topic each year helps bring home the fundamentals of the faith. This year, for example, he wove the concept of the cross into each week's lessons, activities and songs.
"The range is pretty significant, their understanding of faith," Dornoff said. "Some have a better understanding than others."
"It is a very childlike faith for some of them, even though they are in their 70s or 80s," he added.
Program participants kicked off the summer with a picnic, miniature golf and hayride at Timber Ridge Campground that drew 35 participants. Joe Purdy, pastor of the Bates Missionary Church in Acme, cooked hot dogs for the assembled. He reflected on the program's impact not only on the developmentally disabled participants, but the volunteers who help them.
"It's very important to understand these people as people," Purdy said. "We get more love from them than they get from us, it's an amazing thing."
"It is high maintenance and these people, these volunteers, are very dedicated," he added.
A number of volunteers assist Dornoff every week, including Carol Butzow of Traverse City. The mother of a Down syndrome son who does not currently attend the program, Butzow has been helping with the Friendship Program for ten years.
"What amazes me is when Mike asks if they're any prayer requests and he asks them to do it, they are not inhibited in standing up and praying out loud," said Butzow, who is inspired to watch the attendees pray and grow in their faith. "We lost one of our friends suddenly this year, who had been coming for years. I was amazed at the feelings the friends shared about Josh, we went to the funeral service and sang at it."
The Friendship Program is non-denominational and, while it is based at the Fellowship Church, it is not run by that organization. Dornoff, who estimates the program is 15 years old, is quick to credit the church with extensive support.
"The Fellowship Church has been very, very supportive, they've provided the building and taken up collections for us," he said. "A number of helpers or teachers come from the church, but the program is not run by them."
For more information on the Friendship Program, call Mike Dornoff at 938-1730 or the host Fellowship Church at 947-6520.